The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law

Introduction

The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law has a long-standing national reputation for educational excellence and rigor. We value diversity of thought, background, experience, and culture in every dimension of the law school experience.

In the words of our students, University of Arizona Law “defies all stereotypes” when it comes to the experience you might expect at a top-tier law school. We pride ourselves on our famously collegial community, direct access to renowned faculty, a career development office with one of the best track records in the country, and a forward-thinking mindset that continuously seeks out new opportunities for our students.

But we’re more than just a law school.

Arizona Law is part of the University of Arizona, one of the country’s top research institutions, where you’ll find people celebrating the successful launch of a UA-led NASA mission right alongside another win from the championship basketball team. UA’s programs in environmental science, astronomy, optics, and geology are among the world’s best. The Eller College of Management—next door to the law school—delivers top-ranked programs available to law students seeking careers in law and business. Arizona Law faculty and students also work with many other highly regarded programs across campus, depending on their career and research interests.

The University of Arizona and Arizona Law have a strong history of serving military veterans, providing “one-stop” assistance and additional support. International students will find a welcoming community and well-developed services such as the Center for English as a Second Language.

Beyond UA’s borders lies the metropolitan Tucson area of about one million people. We enjoy some 350 days each year of sunny weather, perfect for exploring outdoor activities and Tucson’s spectacular landscape. Here you will never run out of delicious food—Tucson was recently named a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World City of Gastronomy, the first city in the United States to receive the designation. And while Tucson is culturally rich, it remains the most affordable big city in the United States, so you can afford to enjoy all the city offers.

The College

Since its founding in 1915, Arizona Law has graduated more than 7,000 alumni who currently work in 49 states and 40 countries, constituting an international network that never fails to support our students.

With a diverse, international student body of about 450, students benefit from small class sizes (more than 140 upper-division classes with fewer than 25 students), individualized support, and close working relationships with faculty who are leaders in their respective fields. A distinguishing feature of Arizona Law is its emphasis on individualized, highly supportive legal education. The rich resources of the UA are accessible to students who want interdisciplinary study. The college is home to the Rehnquist Center and is affiliated with the National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade. The college has program partnerships with the Eller College of Management/McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship and many other collaborations with colleges and departments at the UA.

Fourteen faculty members have been elected to the American Law Institute. There are some 100 to 150 speaker and workshop events held annually at the college, ranging from Supreme Court justices to high-profile practitioners and other lecturers, to accomplished alumni who return to work with students.

Arizona Law is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and is one of 80 law schools nationwide to maintain a chapter of the Order of the Coif, the prestigious national law academic honor society.

Admission

Admission to Arizona Law is selective.

Arizona Law is the only law school in the country that accepts either the LSAT or GRE score as an admission test.

Additional required application materials include academic record, personal statement, and letters of recommendation. Additional factors considered include the nature and rigor of the undergraduate experience; graduate education; work and travel experience; unique talents or accomplishments; significant extracurricular activities; leadership, strength of character, and integrity; substantial community service; significant challenges overcome; tribal affiliation of applicants who are enrolled members of federally recognized tribes; and other circumstances that have influenced the candidate’s life or given him or her direction. Arizona Law fosters a dynamic learning community and welcomes students who bring diverse perspectives, ideas, and varied life experiences to the educational process.

Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until July 1.

Library and Physical Facilities

Arizona Law’s state-of-the-art building and library, the Law Commons, is designed to enhance student learning and engagement. The Daniel F. Cracchiolo Law Library is one of the foremost legal research facilities in the Southwest. It is a fully networked, technologically sophisticated facility that is constantly evolving to meet research and student needs. Students also have access to the resources of the Arizona Health Sciences Library and university libraries, with collections exceeding 11 million volumes. Students have 24/7 access to the law library.

Curriculum

A rigorous curriculum focused on traditional areas of law and core skills—coupled with innovative, multidisciplinary programs in emerging areas of law—allows Arizona Law graduates to effectively compete in a fast-moving, increasingly global environment.

We offer a full-time JD program, typically completed in six consecutive semesters of study. International JD students who have completed a law degree outside the United States may receive a JD in two years or less, which qualifies them to sit for the bar examination in American jurisdictions. (See below for information on graduate law degrees.)

During the first year, you are assigned to a small section—usually 28–30 students—and coursework is largely predetermined. First-year students may select one elective from an approved list in the second semester. You also enroll in a year-long course in Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research conducted in very small classes with intensive faculty support and mentoring.

In your second and third years, you have considerable flexibility in choosing your coursework, and may concentrate on a broad, general curriculum or focus your studies in a specific area of law. JD certificates are available in Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy, Family and Juvenile Law, Environmental Law, International Economic Law and Policy, Criminal Law and Policy, Business Litigation, Transactional Business Law, Tax Law and Policy, Health Law, and Intellectual Property. Other strengths include Trial Advocacy, Global Programs, Civil Justice, Mining Law, and Data and Empirical Studies.

Every area of our curriculum is supported by faculty who are recognized scholars in their field and who uphold the college’s commitment to providing a highly individualized and supportive legal education.

The great majority of our students participate in meaningful experiential—or “hands-on”—learning through clinics, workshops, and special projects. Arizona Law guarantees clinical placement for every student who wants it. Offerings include:

• Child and Family Law Clinic
• Immigration Law Clinic
• Indigenous Peoples Clinic
• Tribal Courts Clinic
• Criminal Prosecution Clinic
• International Human Rights Advocacy Workshop
• Veteran’s Clinic
• Arizona Attorney General Clinic
• Civil Rights Restoration Clinic
• Wrongful Conviction Clinic
• Intellectual Property & Entrepreneurship Clinic

(Please check our website for an updated list.)

Four student-run journals provide forums for you to pursue scholarly writing and hone your editing skills.

Many of our students benefit from supervised, credit-bearing internships and externships that reflect their individual interests. In Washington, DC, students have worked in congressional offices, executive agencies, the White House, and a wide range of nonprofit organizations. In Arizona and other states, students have worked in governors’ offices, state legislatures, many state agencies, and tribal governments.

Under Arizona Law leadership, the Arizona Supreme Court approved an initiative allowing law students meeting certain criteria to sit for the Arizona Bar Exam in the spring of their 3L year, thus making it possible for you to be more competitive in entering the employment market, or to take another state bar exam in the summer. Students who elect this option will participate in an intensive “post-bar curriculum” after the bar and before graduation in May. Arizona is also a Uniform Bar Exam state, meaning that your score can be transferred to seek admission in more than 20 other UBE jurisdictions, including Colorado, Utah, New York, and Washington, DC. More details on your bar exam options are on our website.

Dual-Degree, LLM, and SJD Programs

As part of one of the strongest research universities in the nation, students interested in interdisciplinary study have a wealth of resources and options. Existing dual-degree programs include JD/PhD programs in Philosophy, Psychology, or Economics; JD/MA programs in Indian Studies, Latin American Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, or Information Resources and Library Science; both a three-year and a four-year JD/MBA, in conjunction with the Eller College of Management; a JD/MPA; a JD/MPH; a JD/MS in Economics, Law, and the Environment; and a JD/MMF in Management and Finance.

You need not pursue a dual degree in order to study in another area, however. Many of our students take courses in business, science, or the social sciences, with up to six credits countable toward the JD degree. As many UA faculty are involved in multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary work, students with strong interests may be involved in special faculty projects.

The college offers LLM programs in International Economic Law and Policy and Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy, as well as the SJD—the Doctor of Juridical Science degree.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Arizona Law offers one of the most affordable, high-quality legal educations in the country, thanks to low resident and nonresident tuition and our generous scholarship options. In the 2015-16 academic year, nearly 80 percent of students received a grant or scholarship. Please consult the College of Law website for current tuition rates and detailed financial aid information.

Career Development

Arizona Law’s Career Development Office helps you develop the professional skills you need to launch a successful career in a wide range of practice areas and work settings. Innovative programs offered through the Career Development Office consistently produce outstanding results. Our students routinely maintain one of the highest rates of 1L summer legal clerkships and internships in the country. The office hosts more than 120 employers as part of the on- and off-campus interviewing programs, facilitating interviews with employers in major metropolitan areas, including Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, New York City, Phoenix, and Washington, DC. The annual on-campus Sonoran Desert Career Fair attracts a wide range of regional employers, and the office maintains an assistant dean for employer outreach in Phoenix to connect with employers and facilitate student opportunities with them. Finally, a well-developed judicial clerkship program helps students secure prestigious jobs in numbers that far outpace the national average. We are committed to transparency in employment information: details on year-specific employment are available on our website.

Student Activities

The Student Bar Association (SBA) is an autonomous organization that promotes a cohesive community and consults with the administration to ensure that student interests are well represented in college decision-making. The SBA also operates as an umbrella organization for recognized student groups, offers mentoring and support to students, and plans college-wide social events.

In a typical year, between 30 and 40 student organizations are active at Arizona Law, sponsoring social gatherings, lectures and learning opportunities, academic support and study sessions, and career networking. Other important student activities focus on career preparation through active moot court and trial skills competition teams. The Arizona Law Review, the Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law, the Arizona Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, and the Arizona Law Journal of Emerging Technology provide substantial opportunities for scholarly writing.

In addition to a wide range of hands-on learning opportunities sponsored by the college, Arizona Law students frequently partner with outside groups for law-related activities, including the Volunteer Lawyers Program, local and state bar associations, and community-based nonprofit groups.